Silicon Valley invades and transforms Cannes Lions, advertising’s biggest dealmaking party

Every year, the biggest names in advertising and marketing gather along the French Riviera for a confab called the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

A few years ago, Silicon Valley’s ad-driven Internet giants discovered Cannes. And in the same way tech is transforming the ad and marketing game, Silicon Valley changed the look and feel of Cannes Lions.

Now, the rows of private beaches are rented out by tech’s biggest names whose logos are plastered just about everywhere you turn during this 7-day conference. The day of broadcasting giants hashing out deals over martini-fueled lunches have been replaced by nonstop swilling of Corona at the Google Beach Hut where you can hang with YouTube star DJ BBQ.

It’s tough work. But fortunately, thousands of tech employees are willing to fall on their swords each year and brave the wilds of Cannes in pursuit of the partnerships and deals that will keep the cookie jar back at the home office stuffed with wads of cash.

Here are a few pictures from my brief visit this week, just to give you idea of how thoroughly the tech world dominates the Cannes Lions landscape.